Airplane wing



J. B. SLINN AIRPLANE WING May 27, 1930.

Filed June 24. 1927 mm3 @Lo/w lic Patented` May 27, Y193C) UNITED STATESJAMES IB. SLINN, OF IBONAPARTE, IOWA AIRPLANE WIN G' Application filed.Tune'24, 1927. Serial No. 201,179.

The invention relates to improvements in airplane wings.

The objects of the invention are to pron vide an .airplane wing that isperfectly safe and stable within itself, one that is free of erratictendencies and amendable to control under all conditions, to simplifythe construction by using but few parts, to make the wing lighter andyet stronger than those of which 1o l am aware, and easy to standardizeor modify to meet desired requirements, and to provide an airplane wingthat has great lift, that has little resistance, forms a good glider, aproper tendency to stay in the air, and that provides a quick take off.p

One form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings inwhich Figure l is a plan of one form of an entire wing. Figure 2 is afront elevation of the same.

I Figure 3 shows in perspective oneehalf of a wing with parts shown incross section at Y about the middle of the wings length. Figure 4 showsin perspective the framework only of part of a wing. Figure 5 is a crosssection of a win@` showin the an ular contour and a form of bracing.

Figure 6 1s a cross section of a wing illustrating the manner ofconstructing 1t with but one beam, and Figure 7 illustrates a flat formof wing having a camber in thecenter of its lower surface.

The wing comprises a rectangular frame made up ofend rails 5, but one ofwhich is shown in Figure 4, joining which are side rails 3, 4 formingthe front and aft edges of such wing. Connecting the said side rails 8,4 at spaced intervals are cross members or ribs 2 substantiallyparalleling the end rails 5. O-verlying said cross members or ribs 2,and reaching from end to end of the wing is a pair of upper beams lsubstantially paralleling the rails 3, 4 and spaced with reference tothe latter and to each other about in the proportion shown in Figure 3,while directly beneath each beam and paralleling the same is anauxiliary beamV 11. to these I may employ a diagonal brace 10, Figure 4,joining one of the upper beams l at about the middle of its length withthe other beam l near its outer end. The frame thus In addition providedmay be covered above and below with any desired material, the upperportion of which is indicated at 7 and the lower portion at 8. InFigures 3, 4 and 5 it will be observed that the forward beam 1 is ofsomewhat greater height than the rear one, while in Figure 7 both are ofabout an equal height.

The covering material conforms to the contour of the structure andtherefore from the forward edge at 3, Figures 3 and 5, it is inclinedupwardly upon the leading beam l thence at a slight angle downwardly tothe rear beam, in one form of the` wing, and thence again at an angledownwardly to the rear edge at 4, following back beneath the wing overthe lower beams 11.

ln some of the claims the use of the terms longitudinal7 andlongitudinally designate the longest measurement of the wing althoughsuch terms when applied to airplanes usually mean the fore and aftdirection. rlhis is stated merely in the interest of a clearunderstanding ofmeaning.

Referring to the crosswise section Fig. 5,

it will be seen that the contour fore and aft of this airplane wing isbased on angles andv straight lines. These angles and straight lines arethe basic principle of this invention. Experiments have proved they arefundamental in securing automatic stability, lift, minimum resistanceand control. The surfaces 7 and 8 resting/on beams l and auxiliary beamsl1 area factor' of this arrangement in the eiiicienoy ofthe wing, theangles formed ruiming from rtip to tip of ywing give vgreat lift andstability. These angles may-be .modified or changed to meet requirementsof ratio aspect of wing. This is done by moving beams l or beam lbackward or forward. The front margin presents a bevel cutting edgeoffering little or no resistance, en the contrary it seems to aspirateor move against the wind. The auxiliary beams l1 exceptingI thosewhichare a part of main beams l, illustrated by Fig. 5, may

be used and relined as requirements demand. v The material used inconstructing wing may elinfiinater them entirely. Y n y The ribs 2 lyingbetween main beam l and auxiliary beamV ll may be any number or i shapeto give proper strength and refinement,

and these form with the latter a truss, giving great strength andrigidity to the wing, the whole at the saine time being relatively lightin weight. j

The marginal rails 3 and el are attached to the ends of the ribs 2, andthe marginal end rails 5 are attached to the beams 1 andauxiliary beamsll'inV any suitable manner, the ends of the beams being tapered toconform to the smaller .cross section orf-the said-rails 5 to constitutea finished appearance at the wing ends. Y

,A self-supporting or cantilever wing may be made by increasing depth ofwing at center, the beams l, ll may be beveled above or below, and thewing may be any length or any width found expedient, and of plan anycontour. n f

rIhe ailerons shown in Fig. l and Fig. 3 are given to show how they maybev attached or used, either let into the wing as 'in Fig. l or hingedto rear edge of wing as in Fig. 3.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is j l. An airplane wing including a framingformingthe body thereof having extensions projecting from opposite sidesin two spaced positions disposed longitudinally thereof in spacedrelation to and substantially paralleling the longitudinal edge thereof,and a covering for the structure, the same presenting substantiallystraight surfaces between the members and the said edges of said frame.

2. An airplane wing including a substan tially flat framing forming thebody thereof, two members extending from opposite sur- Yfaces of theframing disposed longitudinally thereof in widely spaced relation, onebeing spaced fromtheleading edge and the other being spaced from the aftedge of the frame and Vsubstantially paralleling 'the named edges, and acovering for the structure presenting substantially straight surfacesbetweenthe said members and between the latter and the said leading andaft edges.

3. In an airplane wing, a framing forming the body of said wing, andaprojection at each side of the framing extending longitudinally of thelatter at two spaced positions and substantially paralleling an edgeofthe same, each forming ridges along said wing extending from theplanel of the same, and a covering enclosing the frame and the proj ections. e

4. In an airplane wing, a flat framing forming the body of said wing, apair of members at each side of and projecting from the framing disposedlongitudinally thereof and paralleling the longest edge of the wing, themembers of each pair being spaced from each other, and each spaced fromone of the edges ofthe frame, and a covering enclosing the structure,the same presenting'substantially l flat surfaces over the same.

5. An airplane wing including in its construction a fiat framecomprising longitudinal members and end members, the said longitudi- Y6. An airplane wing including in its construction a fiat framecomprising longitudinal members and end members, the said longi tudinalmembers forming the front and rear edges'of said wing,.cross ribsIspaced from eachother and connecting at their ends -the saidlongitudinal members, a pair of beams extending longitudinally oftheframe upon its top, the saine being spaced from each other and from thefront and rear edges of the frame and extending to the said end membersand overlying the said ribs and tapered at their ends Von their uppersurfaces to sub# stantially conform to the said end members.

7 An airplane wingincluding in its construction a flat frame comprisinglongitudinal side members aiid'end members, the saidlongitudinal,members constituting the front and rear edges of the wing,cross ribs spaced from eacli other'and connecting thesaidlongitudinalmembers, a pair of beams extending longitudinally of thefraine uponits'top and spaced from each other. and from the front and rear edges ofthe frame and also extend-V ing` to the said end members and overlyingthe said'ribs, the beam lying nearest the said rear edge of the frame'having a less height than thevforward beam. Y Y i' 8. Anairplane`wing"including a mainv frame parts of which constitute the `margins ofth'ewing,a series of ribs extending transversely within thezframe andsecured to the*V fore and aft members thereof, and pair of beams on. theupper andL lower sides of the fra-ine extending longitudinally of thesame crossing thefsaid ribs and secured thereto and substantiallyparalleling the said fore andv aft members. Y Y

An airplane wing of the wing, a series of ribs extendingtransverselywithin the' frame and secured to the fore and aft membersthereof, a pair of beams on the upper and lower sides of the frame ex-Ytending longitudinallypof the same crossing` the ribs and securedthereto and substantially paralleling the said fore and aft'members,

including a main frame parts of which Vconstitute the margins v is@V anda brace extending diagonally of the frame between and secured to saidbeams.

10. An airplane wing comprising a main frame parts of which constitutethe margins of the wing, a series of ribs extending transversely withinthe lframe and secured to the fore and aft members thereof, a pair ofbeams on the upper and lower sides of the frame extending longitudinallyof the saine crossing the ribs and substantially paralleling the saidfore and aft members, and a covering enclosing the structure, saidcovering presenting substantially flat surfaces bridged between theseveral beams and the said fore and aft members.

l1. An airplane wing comprising a framing the member of which form themargins of said wing, transverse ribs extending between the fore and aftmembers of the frame, a pair of beams lying upon the upper surface ofthe frame extending from end to end thereof substantially parallelingthe said fore and aft members, a pair of beams on the under surface ofsaid frame also extending from end to end thereof and substantiallyparalleling the fore and aft members, and a covering enveloping thestructure, the same bridging between the several beams and bridgingbetween the beams and the said fore and aft members. y

12. An airplane wing having a narrow leading edge and a narrow rear edgeand including a pair of extensions projecting each side of the plane inwhich the edges lie, the same substantially paralleling said edges andspaced therefrom and from each other and extending from end to end ofthe wing,one of the extensions, or that lying nearest the rear edge ofthe wing being of lower height than the other, and a covering envelopingthe edges and the extensions and presenting flat surfaces between theparts over which they extend.

13. An airplane wing having a comparatively thin leading edge and a thinrear edge, the said edges and wing tips all lying in one plane, saidwing at its upper surface having a straight surface inclined at an angleupwardly and rearwardly from its leading edge,

and at its lower surface having a straight surface inclined downwardlyand rearwardly from said leading edge at a much less angle, the lowersurface of the wing rearward thereof substantially paralleling saidplanethe upper surface of the wing rearward of the angular portionextending toward said plane as the rear edge of said wing is approached.

14. An airplane wing having a comparatively thin leading edge and a thinrear edge, the said edges and wing tips all lying in one plane, saidwing at its upper surface having a straight surface inclined at an angleupwardly and rearwardly from its leading edge, and at its lower surfacehaving a straight surface inclined downwardly and rearwardly from saidleading edge at a much less anglel JAMES B. SLINN.

